It was early, that fateful morning, when I took a stroll along the beach,
The sky was almost clear blue, with the sun ablaze with red and orange hues, dancing across the sea in front of me; climbing up from over the horizon.

6am, a time I loved, for the tranquility it gave me, both in body and mind.
No one around until I noticed a male rushing towards a parked car; a yellow  Ford Capri? The door flung open, before he sprang inside and within minutes; the door slammed behind him, the engine fired up and he vanished into the distance.

I had seen the male. Taken in his build, his stature as one might say, the colour of his frizzy hair and a mental note that he was in his early twenties?

Well built, certainly given the short time it had taken him to reach his car; stopping to peer at me momentarily it was a rather unnerving glare; i could tell without doubt that he was  physically fit.

On his right arm. I could just make out, a distinctive black, what looked like a snake; tattoo.

I was still thinking about what had just transpired when I reached the ‘stile’ and climbed over it to head towards the beach. That would take me about five minutes before, I could see the beach huts.

The different colours AND the regular maintenance, carried out with some care and one might add, hard graft; left them looking pristine? 
To one side was a warning notice, that told the owners in simple terms, NO overnight sleeping in them?  I grinned to myself knowing full well that that was seldom complied with.

Thus is was no surprise to see one of the doors partly open? As I got closer to it? Blood and I mean BLOOD. Copious amounts of its spread across the concrete in front of the door.

I pushed the door and looked in, shouting out thinking to myself that perhaps someone had injured themselves? It was as I shoved at the door? A lot of heavy shoving to move it slowly opening UNTIL.

Until I could clearly see the body of a child, laid flat out, blood all around her and no doubts on my part the child; was dead. I stepped back almost falling over, the adrenalin rush kicking in and a flush of fear and flight flooding my senses,

Taking a second look? NOOO ! I ran from there. I knew the nearest phone box, to call the police, was about a mile away. It took me considerably less time, than my usual stroll to it would have taken.

I frantically dialed. I did not for that call have to put in any money which on reflection was something of a relief. The operator soon put me through and surprisingly the police answered almost immediately.

“Where was I?” I glanced at the kiosk wall in front of me and read off the location details., “stay put lad, someone will be with you, they’re already on their way, now do we need to send an ambulance?”.

A whole morning with the police questioning me. At first of course it was natural they should suspect me BUT that was soon dismissed. I knew one of the bobbies, a lad named Steve who was an ex school mate of mine. He was quick to stand his ground in defending me. 

The other person who came forward within a few days, testified to the fact that they, had been out walking their dog and had seen, the Capri driving off at speed past them. Same area, same time more or less?

The description of the crazy driver had also been noted by them AND was almost identical to mine? “One thing” Steve had told them, was how good my ability to remember even the most ridiculous of details?

“He had that tatoo but also, an odd patch of skin just above it, looked like a burn? “ With all completed to everyones satisfaction I left to head home.

On my way out,  I overheard two police officers talking. “Only 15 years old and what that animal put her through before killing her?”  She had been sexually assaulted, but worse still, burn marks, from a cigarette, stubbed out on her.. before being strangled? 

Back then, DNA was still about to make it presence known. All the police could do, was to gather up certain items and put them into storage. The killer; was never caught.
It would be, decades later when the police sent the evidence they had to some forensic labs,

DNA results were really good. The killer, had left a lof of secretions on her clothing AND at some point, the girl must had scratched him? Blood”
Steve also explained the massive amount of blood, in and outside the beach hut?

She had been stabbed, multiple times, after he had struck at her, from behind. Brutal, savage and without any mercy she had fallen only to be dragged into the hut and all the hell that followed.

“About an hour at least before she died.” Jackson the coroner was not short on expletives when describing the autopsy results. “Give me a dark alley a pick axe handle and that b;stard ? I’ll make sure he never walks again.” His sentiment was somewhat echoing the thoughts of many around him,

Steve had imparted to me the autopsy results but also other information not released to the public? The b’stard left a cigarette lighter. Got some good solid fingerprints off that.” Pack of cigarettes ? I took note of the brand though I did wonder some time after as to why?

Some years later, I had returned to the UK and met up with Steven for a drink.
“Do you remember,” He paused before leaning in close to whisper the girls name in my ear.
He leaned into pull out an envelope. Taking from it a picture? Of a girl, the girl; Jennifer Saunders.

Then I suddenly noticed three other photos? All of the females were similar in appearance to Jennifer? ALL four of them killed by the same guy? A serial killer?

“Vanished. We think just after Jennifer’s death; where? Probably abroad. We only linked him to all four killings bcause of the DNA matches.” He looked at me nodding his head.

“You always tell me you would NEVER forget that b’stard. Just keep your eyes open and ears open when you’re abroad?

He had some justification in that as I often ended up in a lot of tourist hot spots? The b’stard had to be hiding out somewhere, but WHERE?

When fate finally delivered the killer, into my hands? It would be the most unbelievable events that led to his final arrest. I still to this day, find what transpired to be unreal. BUT, it answered a lot of reasons WHY the killer evaded capture for so long.

It did seem as though someone had taken a pick axe handle to deliver what they deemed some long overdue justice? In a dark alley of course. The killer would never walk again.

Steve, would be the one, to meet the air ambulance unit, bringing the killer back to the UK. I phoned him but could not make contact;  a few hours later.

He was unavailable and for good reason; recovering after the shock!

(to be continued)